A survey of 1,102 young women in Japan asked them to rank products by superior design. Surprisingly, the top answer wasn't a Japanese company, but rather Apple.

The second place product capturing the attention of trend setting young Japanese women was the iPhone, which ranked after Apple's iPod series and ahead of Mac desktops and notebooks, giving Apple four of the top five spots.

What Japan Thinks

Commissioned by Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization, the survey was conducted by group goo Research. Participants were nearly equally distributed between Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya, Japan, and were all aged between 20 and 26. Results of the December edition of the quarterly survey were published online by the site What Japan Thinks.

The survey first asked "Amongst stuff you do own or have owned, what do you feel has superior design?" The top answer was Apple's iPod series. Sharp mobile phones came second, NEC mobile phones came third, and Apple notebook computers showed up in fourth place, tied with Sony Ericsson mobile phones and the Nintendo DS handheld gaming device.

The group then asked "Amongst stuff you have never owned, what do you feel has superior design?" The first reply was again Apple's iPods. Second place was the Apple iPhone. Third place was Plus-Minus Zero humidifiers. Fourth place was Apple's desktop computers. Fifth place was Apple's notebooks.

Sharp LCD TVs placed sixth, the Nintendo Wii came in seventh, Sony's VAIO PCs showed up in eighth place, the Nissan March showed up ninth, and the Nintendo DS tied with Le Creuset pots and pans and Sharp mobile phones for tenth place. Sony's PSP showed up in 13th place, and the PlayStation 3 came in 17th.

SoftBank's Son also rises iPhone in the land of the rising sun

The What Japan Thinks blogger credited the iPhone's rapid rise in rank among devices over the past few quarters to a decision by Apple's SoftBank mobile partner to push Apple to localize the iPhone for the Japanese market by adding support for emoji over the next year. In a press release last October, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son stated, Email without emoticons cant be email in Japan. We persuaded Apple Computer (to localize iPhones for the Japanese market).

A report on the announcement said Apple would "add an emoticon function to iPhones within the year through an update program." Apple added emoji support for Japanese users in the iPhone 2.2 firmware update.

SoftBank also introduced its 1-Seg mobile TV receiver for the iPhone at that event last fall. The device enables users to stream 1-Seg UHF broadcasts aimed at Japanese mobile phones to the iPhone by rebroadcasting the video signal via WiFi.

Admired for design

The JIDPO survey also had respondents rank companies in general, asking "Amongst stuff you do own or have owned, what do you feel has superior design?" Again, Apple came in first place, followed by Sharp, Sony, NEC, Muji Ryohin [a Japanese retail design company, literally named "no brand quality goods"], Panasonic, Franc Franc [a Japanese Ikea], and Nintendo.

Asked "Amongst stuff you have never owned, what do you feel has superior design?," replies again ranked Apple first, followed by Toyota, Plus-Minus Zero, Nissan and Franc Franc rounding out the top five. Sharp and Sony tied for sixth place, followed by Nintendo, Louis Vuitton, and Le Creuset in the top ten. Muji Ryohin tied with Sony Computer Entertainment [PlayStation devices] for eleventh place.

Asked to rank "What product do you think is representative of Japanese design?," The Sharp AQUOS came first, followed by Toyota Cars in general second, the Toyota Prius third, the Nintendo DS fourth, and Sony VAIO PCs and the Nintendo Wii tied for fifth place.

When asked about overall brand image rather than just the sum of the company's products, replies to the question "What brand do you feel has superior design?" ranked Sony ahead of second place Apple, third place Muji Ryohin, Franc Franc fourth and Louis Vuitton in fifth place. \t

apple seems to have found its way into the japanese "designer" niche; when it comes to more utilitarian products the japanese are highly inclined to buy domestic, but conversely when they are looking for something with aesthetic value they'll most likely buy anything but domestic. and this seems to have little to do with intrinsic values of japanese products, more to do with preconceived notions about style

Jeez, did you check out the Plus-Minus Zero humidifier? Looks like $250 for a small, simple steaming unit, yes, very nice design, but you could buy the same functionality at WalMart for $50. Not sure if Apple is learning from the Japanese or vice versa, certainly both have figured out how to keep margins way high!

Wow! This is great news for Apple. To finally capture this group of indivduals to admire Apple is a really big deal. Remember, this market has always been a fan on Windows/Microsoft.

If I was Steve Ballmer, I would be freaking out. Apple is not the little computer company that not a lot of people don't know about anymore. The iPhone has be proven to be the best selling phone on the market. (over the RAZR).

You go on digg.com and read Apple related stories, and read the commets. Go see what they (Windows fanboys) say. It makes me sick. They bash the Mac for not having a right click, and for not having OS X in six different flavors. Give me a break. Windows fanboys are loosing this war. Watch, 5. Years from now, Apple will have half of the computer market under it's belt.

To windows fanboys: we (mac users) are not a** holes. We like Apple because the to give the consumer what they want. It's not because the machine has a "pretty" Apple logo on the back of it. With my Mac I don't have to worry about stupied trial software, or worry about putting ant-virus software on my mac. Everything is simple, clean, and easy to use.

Vista was POS!! Go ahead and say it. Windows7 looks.... Okay. If it wasn't for the dock like taskbar, the éxpose "thing" it has, and for god sake the widgets cough cough... I mean "gadgets".

And y'all want to complain about how you have to buy a mac to run OS X?! Wrong. If y'all are smart and read the news, you will see the phystar are selling crappy computers that run OS X.

1 more thing (I promise): the iPhone.. Win. Mobile 6.5 is a fail. I know the iPhone does not have flash or copy&paste, and doesn't have mms. But what else can you say negative? Don't say the camera.. We know.. I have never used a phone that was so powerful, but easy to use. It's easy to type on. ( I typed this whole comment on my device.)

Apple listens to what the people want. I like apple because they have the best customer service in the industry. (fact) and, they have tv best peope working at there stores.

What this article means is that Apple has the potential to get in to the Japanese market big-time with the right products. The iPod and iPhone are very attractive here; the computers need a little tweaking before they too would be gobbled up.

Your = the possessive of you, as in, "Your name is Tom, right?" or "What is your name?"

You're = a contraction of YOU + ARE as in, "You are right" --> "You're right."

What this article means is that Apple has the potential to get in to the Japanese market big-time with the right products. The iPod and iPhone are very attractive here; the computers need a little tweaking before they too would be gobbled up.

Exactly right Bergermeister! Hit the nail on the proverbially head! This is why this article is pertinent, especially after the recent Wired poorly written article.

Japan is a very important market and it is entirely understandable they have a national pride in their own manufactured products. It makes is it even better for Apple to have evidence that Apple is on the right track. Not perfect, but then what is?

Care to tell us why? How does that validate your purchase decision one way or another?

My purchase decision of what? Wouldn't you want to know what all Japanese think - not just it's women? How can this be "What Japan Thinks" if the survey is only answered by its women? Don't young men buy electronics in Japan?

apple seems to have found its way into the japanese "designer" niche; when it comes to more utilitarian products the japanese are highly inclined to buy domestic, but conversely when they are looking for something with aesthetic value they'll most likely buy anything but domestic. and this seems to have little to do with intrinsic values of japanese products, more to do with preconceived notions about style

You must have missed the whole thread last week indicating that (contrary to chen's Wired article) the japanese 'domestic' products are heavy on features but lacking in usability. The whole 'Japan is too advanced for iPhone' meme is falling apart.

My purchase decision of what? Wouldn't you want to know what all Japanese think - not just it's women? How can this be "What Japan Thinks" if the survey is only answered by its women? Don't young men buy electronics in Japan?

Wrong again. The site is Called "What Japan Thinks," the survey is particular to young women.

PS - I thought you were banned for the meltdown you had the day before yesterday where you made all those personal attacks? No?

In Windows, a window can be a document, it can be an application, or it can be a window that contains other documents or applications. Theres just no consistency. Its just a big grab bag of monkey...

Jeez, did you check out the Plus-Minus Zero humidifier? Looks like $250 for a small, simple steaming unit, yes, very nice design, but you could buy the same functionality at WalMart for $50. Not sure if Apple is learning from the Japanese or vice versa, certainly both have figured out how to keep margins way high!

If you had to guess, which unit do you think might be noisier? And which one more efficient? And which one might last longer?

When is Teckstud ever on topic. Or ever contribute anything constructive. Now that reports are debunking the Japanese hate for Apple products, people like Teckstud have to manufacture other nonsense to complain about.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffDM

As far as I can tell, neither of which are the topic of the original story. But maybe you have some rationale on how Japanese women are being suppressed?

As far as I can tell, neither of which are the topic of the original story. But maybe you have some rationale on how Japanese women are being suppressed?

If I have to educate you that segregated stores based on gender, race, or whatever is not a good thing anywhere, anyhow- than forget it.
I was responding to the poster's link to the Apple Japanese Woman's store.

When is Teckstud ever on topic. Or ever contribute anything constructive. Now that reports are debunking the Japanese hate for Apple products, people like Teckstud have to manufacture other nonsense to complain about.

If I have to educate you that segregated stores based on gender, race, or whatever is not a good thing anywhere, anyhow- than forget it.
I was responding to the poster's link to the Apple Japanese Woman's store.

You're making a much bigger deal out of it than is merited.

This isn't segregation in the sense that men can't shop there or there are stores where women can't shop.

This isn't segregation in the sense that men can't shop there or there are stores where women can't shop.

So you don't think it's condescending to women that they need their own store to buy electronics?
You think Japanese society treats women on the same level as men?
Would you prefer a women's dpeartment in the Apple stores elsewhere as well?

I am not surprised. Japanese contemporary design is minimalist and elegant. Often times Japanese design is also very funky, fun and alternative. Ever since the Bondi iMac Apple's designs have been a natural fit.

How exactly is it condescending? Their are many women only stores. Nike for women, Footlocker for women. In many stores the women's section is most of the store while the men's section is upstairs or way in the back.

Apple having a women section may cater to Japanese culture. You are attempting to take American cultural norms and apply them to the Japanese.

Quote:

Originally Posted by teckstud

So you don't think it's condescending to women that they need their own store to buy electronics?
You think Japanese society treats women on the same level as men?
Would you prefer a women's dpeartment in the Apple stores elsewhere as well?

So you don't think it's condescending to women that they need their own store to buy electronics?
You think Japanese society treats women on the same level as men?
Would you prefer a women's dpeartment in the Apple stores elsewhere as well?

Teckstud - I accept your right to be contrary, reactionary, narrow minded, anti just about everything Apple, etc etc, but do you have to be a broken record? Can you not participate in these forums by stating your views and leave it at that? Retort by all means but do you have to act like a spoilt child? Over the last few days a very large percentage of all the posts are yours and it just gets repetitive and tedious. There are many other posters that share your views but most of them know when to shut up. Not because they have been beat, but because they have said their piece.

I am not surprised. Japanese contemporary design is minimalist and elegant. Often times Japanese design is also very funky, fun and alternative. Ever since the Bondi iMac Apple's designs have been a natural fit.

I bet you they loved the old "toilet seat" iBook back in the day with it's funky colors. Ah - the good old days of truly innovative design when Apple wasn't making Macs to look like PCs.

How exactly is it condescending? Their are many women only stores. Nike for women, Footlocker for women. In many stores the women's section is most of the store while the men's section is upstairs or way in the back.

Apple having a women section may cater to Japanese culture. You are attempting to take American cultural norms and apply them to the Japanese.

Teckstud - I accept your right to be contrary, reactionary, narrow minded, anti just about everything Apple, etc etc, but do you have to be a broken record? Can you not participate in these forums by stating your views and leave it at that? Retort by all means but do you have to act like a spoilt child? Over the last few days a very large percentage of all the posts are yours and it just gets repetitive and tedious. There are many other posters that share your views but most of them know when to shut up. Not because they have been beat, but because they have said their piece.

What are you talking about? I haven't repeated one thing here!
WHo are you to lecture anyone, man? Get over it.

The What Japan Thinks blogger credited the iPhone's rapid rise in rank among devices over the past few quarters to a decision by Apple's SoftBank mobile partner to push Apple to localize the iPhone for the Japanese market by adding support for emoji over the next year. In a press release last October, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son stated, Email without emoticons cant be email in Japan. We persuaded Apple Computer (to localize iPhones for the Japanese market).

A report on the announcement said Apple would "add an emoticon function to iPhones within the year through an update program." Apple added emoji support for Japanese users in the iPhone 2.2 firmware update.
\t

What are you talking about? I haven't repeated one thing here!
WHo are you to lecture anyone, man? Get over it.

Don't understand what the reason is to get so upset about all this. Are you just trying to get your comments count up? Although I don't comment regularly, I do read most AI posts and many comments. Sorry to say yours stand out as angry, irrelevant and subjective. What's up with just disagreeing with everything?

Quote:

Originally Posted by teckstud

AI hits an all time low with this thread.
Gee- I wonder how Apple ranks with Zibabweans?